What if Refrigerated Meat Has Dark Spots or Has Turned Brown? What about Bad Cheese?

You might ask, “why does the meat in the fresh food compartment have dark spots or why has it turned brown? There are a couple of reasons for this. One being it is natural for meat to darken with time. This is due to oxidation. If fresh meat is not going to be used within 1-2 days, it should be stored in the freezer.

Another reason is that the fresh or cured meat has been stored too long. Brown, green, or yellow discoloration can be due to bacterial growth and is an indication that the meat should be disposed of.

What about cheese? Why does it sometimes develop white or green spots? One reason for this is that the cheese has become moldy. It is normal for mold to occasionally develop on the surface of hard cheese (Swiss, Cheddar, Parmesan). Cut off at least an inch around and below the moldy area, keeping the knife out of the mold itself. The remaining cheese is safe to eat. DO NOT try to save individual cheese slices , cottage cheese, or other soft cheese that has molded.

Another reason for the white or green spots on cheese could be that the fresh food compartment is not cold enough. Check the fresh food compartment temperature. Adjust the refrigerator controls if the temperature is not below 40 degrees F. Also, store fresh meat items in the climate zone to drawer set to “meats” which tightly controls the drawer temperature at 31 degrees F.

For more refrigeration tips, keep coming back to Darrell’s Appliance blog here at Appliances Logan Utah.